Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill

Is hell so overcrowded that they are coming back? Even if they are, they can be outsmarted, but no character managed to. If I were in the book, I’d hire someone to knock me out, and take me to the nearest plane. I’d be in Tahiti by the time I wake up.

It’s Halloween on my mind; when I saw Apartment 16 advertised in Fully Booked’s newsletter I could not help but rush to the bookstore to buy it, and read it–never mind my TBR challenge where I listed books gathering dust on my shelf and never mind my tight budget, almost exhausted by my recent trip to Hong Kong and Macau. A success story of book pushing, to my wallet’s detriment but my Halloween’s wicked glee.

I was drawn to the cover–an imposing apartment building, the kind that only the rich can afford; brooding; dark sky; with a sort of dust coming out of one of the windows. It could be smoke, the way its movement is depicted, yet I can see individual particles, moving synchronized with all the rest.

The book immediately reminded me of the Stephen King movie, Room 1408, where a grand but aging New York hotel harbors a haunted room. Guests check in, and come out dead or insane. No one knows what happens inside that room.  Watching it made me feel claustrophobic, as whatever was inside that room can stretch minutes into days and memories into nightmares.

I don’t think Apartment 16 was scarier, or maybe it just suffered for not having John Cusack and Samuel Jackson in the cast, but it did go a step further than claustrophobia  and added agoraphobia to the murkiness coming from one abandoned apartment.

In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And it’s been that was for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight.

A young American woman, April, arrived at Barrington House to claim her inheritance. She was left an apartment by her estranged aunt Lillian who died in strange circumstances. She was mad, said many. Yet her diary suggested a horrific event decades ago, which took the life of her beloved husband.

As April investigated, she found out about the death-obsessed artist who used to live in Apartment 16. Practicing the occult, he may have opened a gateway into hell that has since permeated the block’s stone and woodwork. This evil infected everyone with spiritual malaise, making the world seem ugly. Or maybe it just made them see things as they really were? People also became more open to the psychic world; they saw distorted creatures everywhere even in broad daylight. When they tried to go out of London, the creatures that once were human would overwhelm them.

I was surprised by the appearance of three little hairless girls with the strangest misshapen heads, all long and thinnish. They were wearing surgical gowns tied at the neck and they did a horrible little dance on their stick legs, right there on the pavement before my eyes. Under the gowns I think their bodies were stitched together. But it was the way they moved…

Seth, the night watchman, was easily influenced. A struggling artist, he was trying to make ends meet while seeking his muse. His muse found him, unfortunately, and gave him nightmares. Pages were devoted to describing the horrors the death-obsessed artist created, by himself at first and then through Seth. He liked his subjects torn, mutilated, trapped, hanging, decaying, despairing, about to be swallowed up by a vast and seething nothingness. Stagnancy and a descent into a primitive animal state were also favorite themes.

Definitely, the power of the atmosphere put most characters in the shade. Seth was ok, but April was just a device to give the readers important background information. Excited though I was to acquire this book, it took me a while to get into the story. I was slightly bored with Seth’s introspection, not knowing yet of course how it related to what followed. When April learned more about her aunt from the head porter, the pace picked up. I said “most” not “all” because The Friends of Hessen were interesting. Sad rather than scary, and freaky rather than macabre, they have embraced ugliness while pretending they were special. I wished they can be given an opportunity to stay in Apartment 16.

According to the brief author bio, Nevill used to be a night watchman in exclusive apartment buildings in West London. I wonder what he has seen and heard inside those snooty walls inspiring this horror story? I myself  daydream about living in an old yet prestigious apartment building. Maybe  I should stop not because of ghosts but because only the rich, old and paranoid for neighbors until the end of my days is a truly horrifying thought. I’d die of boredom first before the ghosts can come and get me.

the lost language by marianne villanueva

It’s like I was reading a diary. But it wasn’t truly voyeurism, because sometimes it felt like reading something from my own diary. I didn’t understand many of the mythological references, though. Isn’t our psyche already unfathomable that to mask it with riddles an overkill?

What I feared happened. I met an author and now I must set aside all thoughts of personal consideration so I can be as honest as possible about my review of The Lost Language, an anthology of short stories that read like they were penned in pain.

At the Filipino Book Bloggers meetup last year, Marianne Villanueva was bubbly and witty, so interested in our every word. She shared some of her experiences with us, talked about being a Filipino writer in the United States, gave tips on improving one’s literary craft, and made us feel how wonderful it is be reading and writing at this time.

Her smile was a grin and her laugh at our own odd stories infectious. Imagine my surprise to find out how different the Marianne Villanueva was in her writings, at least those that I saw from this book. They described a world where relationships take more than they give: Why else are her characters dispirited or despairing much of the time?

In the first story, two kids find a hand in a dumpster and feed it to a dog; the girl goes along because she wanted her friend to respect her. A Filipina girl new in the land of milk and honey, I guess she wanted to fit in. It was such a tight fix, though, that she broke, and wetness flowed from her eyes and peed out between her legs.

The other stories carry much the same burden; mother, son, daughter, wife–are these roles worth taking on I asked with each heartache. The mother of the Unruly Heart allowed sorrow over her son’s death to swallow her up that sorrow became normal.

I would have felt disgusted by all the angst if it was not so deftly understated and the language that sheltered it not so refined.

I must admit it was stressful reading this book.  There were moments that I almost remembered the lost language within me; thankfully I was able to shut the covers on it just in time to write this incoherent review.

Read a coherent review here and here.

maligayang pagdating sa sitio catacutan by tony perez

“Hanggat hindi nawawala ang pang-aapi sa mundo, hindi rin mawawala ang mga multo.” Six ghost stories set in Cubao, Metro Manila’s go-to place for the weird and uncommon. My kind of place. Not completely my kind of book.

I’m really curious about Cubao. Having only been around the Araneta Colliseum I know I have only scratched the surface of this part of Quezon City. In the years I have been visiting Cubao I never really had time to look around: I commute, alight, and head straight to the giant National Bookstore, spending hours there, or taking up an entire afternoon and night transferring from one second-hand bookstore to another. I never left the commercial district. More recently I frequent Libreria at Cubao X, haven of extremely literates and artistic, the bohemian culture at its sprightliest within the U-shaped compound of what used to be Marikina Shoe Expo.

View latest bookish activity at Libreria here.

There is slightly decaying vibe to Cubao X; it will never be sparkling like Ayala and thank goodness for that. I love places with personality. Last year, when Anvil offered to give out copies of Tony Perez’s ghost stories set in Cubao I was the first (and only, I believe) of my book club to request them. I wanted to see a side of Cubao from the point of view of a paranormal investigator.

..sa Cubao, kung saan—at ito ay madali niyang natuklasan at natutunan—ng mga taga-ibang-planeta, ng mga engkanto, ng mga malign, at ng mga multo.

I know that the first and second books of the Catacutan Saga are fiction but I know enough of the author’s exploits to look forward to seeing many of his insights and experiences coloring the stories, which begin with two brothers arriving from the province to live in a room-for-rent in Cubao. They were greeted with a warning not to just hail any tricycle plying the street.

Now If only I could get past the first chapter….

Facebook posts:
Artseblis REALLY, REALLY SUFFERING reading through a diatribe on the ills of society masquerading as ghost stories. Will Anvil curse me if I post that and more?

5 hours ago •   • Like • Comment Dani M. and Mike B. like this.

Artseblis I would love to enjoy the magic realism; I like it when the weird is exposed in the mundane. With this book, one has to first bridge a language barrier. How to connect people to events to places to situations when I must spend an hour just trying to puzzle out how a certain singularly abstruse metaphor got to do with the plot.

4 hours ago • Like

Artseblis My reading is fragmented, an effort, not exciting. An exercise in suffering!4 hours ago • Like

Mike B. What book?

4 hours ago • Like

Artseblis Malagim ang Gabi sa Sitio Catacutan by Tony Perez. Malagim! huhu

3 hours ago • Like

Artseblis ah, wait, i changed my mind. this quote is priceless: Hanggat hindi nawawala ang pang-aapi sa mundo, hindi rin mawawala ng mga multo.

3 hours ago • Like •   1 person

Lora Lynn dL Transliteration: Unless abuse ends, the ghosts too will never disappear in this world.
Tony Perez always speaks in riddles…. and enjoys doing it to perplex mere mortals like us. T_T

3 hours ago • Like

Dani M. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. Mich, that’s called extrapolation.3 hours ago • Like

The first chapter was unbelievably difficult to read. Not only was the language, the writing, problematic for me, I cannot see the point of all the editorializing. It did not succeed to set mood, character, and setting, but only gave me a headache.

Here are samples of text my eyes would just glaze over, my brain inadequate to the task of making sense of them quickly enough:

… sa kantinang Palamigan, na sumasakop sa harapang-hati ng unang palapag ng mga apartment A at B, at Cafe y Pandan… na ang sakop ay haraping-hati ng unang palapag ng Apartment C.

Dinatnan niya ang isang sirkulo at lipunan na maraming awit sa sariling wika, at ang mayaman at mahirap ay naglinang ng hilig sa mga alahas ng pilak, at ang kalalakihan ay nagpabutas ng kanilang taynga nang makasuot sila ng sari-saring hikaw.

Noong panahong iyon, ang malaking medya-klase na umangat noong huling dekada ay nagparang ginantsilyong mantel na mabilis na natastas at nagging mahabang sinulid na nagkabuhol-buhol.

When I finally reached dialogue I almost cried in relief. The dialog was easier to read, at least. Being a story-oriented person I become terribly impatient if the language gets in the way of the story. Like Lora Lynn said, the author speaks in riddles, and yes, it perplexed me because he did it too soon too much at the beginning of the book and if I was not duty-bound to read and review I would have not bothered with the book further.

I could recommend that other readers skip the first story; unfortunately, the stories are crafted in such a way that elements and characters weave in and out of each other that to miss the first chapter is to get a little lost in the following stories. The first story establishes that there is more to Cubao than just any other urban center. It is Sitio Catacutan. Familiarity is not a guaranty of safety.

To round up the stories in this collection, here are summaries of each:

Traysikel – the ghost of a tricycle driver kills his passenger for revenge.

Rooms for Rent –an old man and adopted son were separated in life; now their memories haunt the rooms

Sa Gantigos Antiques – antiques inhabited by spirits; very eerie in the parts where the objects were wailing their distress

Sinapian – a possessed woman is featured on TV; also a satire on the popularity of  spirit questors in media

Pagsapi – was the woman really possessed? A glimpse into her mind.

Akwaryum – aquarium-maker with dad-issues disappears and possibly will cause the destruction of Cubao one day

The author’s repeated references to pop culture and real places in and around Cubao, to characters who could very well be based on real people working and living there—the bookstore personnel, the TV producer, the tricycle driver—present a startling juxtaposition to the strangeness. The idea that we barely touch the surface of the world we think we know is not new but it always is intriguing. After the incredibly difficult first chapter the book did become more interesting. Keep your wits about to spot the riddles and figure them out yourself.  In all, not a great read nor a good one but not a bad one (after the first chapter).

rare books and maps at the lumina pandit exhibit

Only a Saturday with the Flips Flipping Pages can be this illuminating. A week ago, eight Flippers paid the Lumina Pandit Exhibit at the University of Santo Tomas a visit. Organized by Professor GnP, it was a very memorable activity.

Here is my recap:

The exhibition commemorates the survival of a 400-year-old institution, the UST Library. Showcased are the original academic records of Jose Rizal, documents with baybayin script, 100-year-old newspapers, and rare tomes. My favorite is a book of maps. Maps tell much about how people saw the world; back then, the Philippines was a land of legends.

The oldest book is an incunabula by a Jewish historian and translated into Spanish. Josefo Flavio’s La Guerra Judaica was printed in 1492 and recounted the Jewish wars with the Romans. Other books in the collection include a 16th-century, first edition tome penned by Nicholas Copernicus and 400-year-old Plantin Polyglot Bible.

The Bible is quite famous and possibly the most valuable of UST’s treasures. It is in Hebrew, Syrian, Aramaic, Greek and Latin. I can easily imagine a Dan Brown story taking form in the University Halls. The books when not on exhibit are kept at the archives, where only librarians and scholars may enter.

Easily the highlight of our tour was a demonstration of a xylographic printing. I applied ink on a carved wooden board called a woodcut template. By means of a replica of a primitive printing press I then transferred the design onto paper (actually the guides did; I just loved the sound of my first thought better.) My souvenir imprint was coveted by the others. I’ll give it to Kwesi because he’s the youngest and sweetest Flipper.

Lumina Pandit is Latin for “to spread the light.” The university seeks to illustrate through the exhibit how across four centuries it has spread the light of civilization to the Orient. Divided into six sections signifying eras of enlightenment in the Orient, the exhibit hall is surprisingly compact but holds a wealth of relics. I suggest that other Flippers take a guided tour (No entrance fee. Donations are welcome) and return to the beginning of the exhibit for a lingering appreciation of our cultural treasures.

More guards should have tailed us. Didn’t they know we were a book club? And they let us loose among rare books!

Exhibit is open until January 30, 2011 at the ground floor of the Miguel de Benavides Library. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 8am-5pm. Call (632) 731 3034 or email library@mnl.ust.edu.ph for details.

Not satisfied with the oldest library, we segued into the oldest museum before lunch at a Thai restaurant near UST. At the Museum of Science and the Arts we got an eyeful of stuffed animals, animal fossils, religious artifacts, coins, medals, and school memorabilia. Mike proudly pointed out at a goblet used by senior wizards to vote for wizardry apprentices into becoming full-fledged wizards… Wait, I segued into something else entirely.

Next: Recap of the Discussion of the End of the Affair by Graham Greene

Thanks to Gege and Rhett for the photos.

Stories by other Lumina Pandit explorers: Blooey & Fredda

 

grave witch – an alex craft novel by kalayna price

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they say.

Like in several other urban fantasy fictions I have read, Grave Witch uses the literary device of a society transformed by the coming-out of paranormals or, in this case, the fae. Magic was awakened in the world, allowing some humans to better understand and practice it. There are the usual spell casters who can create charms ranging from homing origami messages to complexion charms. One of the rarest forms of ability was communicating with the dead, called grave witchcraft.

Alex, a talented grave witch, is hoping to get a break by helping the police solve cases and DA get convictions through the shades she calls up. A favor for a sister gets her into more than she can chew. She gets attacked by a shade and then shot at. Death saves her, pushing Alex out of the way. That she has been seeing and talking with a soul collector  since childhood is another of Alex’s idiosyncrasies. A detective who is more than he seems starts tailing her, suspecting she knows more than she lets on. Which is true.

After Queen of Shadows, Grave Witch is a treat. I love the love triangle formed between Alex, Death, and detective. The relationship between Alex and Death reminds me of Tanya Huff’s The Last Wizard, where Crystal and Death form a rare friendship; they can never touch and he can never claim her, as wizards’ souls are off-limits to him. The detective may seem at a disadvantage, in terms of mystique. I thought so, but not for long (read to find out why). I don’t know who I’m rooting for actually.

There are shades of the Greywalker series here, too, in how both heroines can interact with different levels of reality, from the physical to the ghost world. Very Twilight Zone. That sort of stuff always appeals to me.

I can do with fewer interrupted dialogue, though; it’s a literary device that’s more irritating than intriguing. There must have been over a dozen examples where the character go, “I’ve got to, uh…” Argh.

Stormbreaker the Graphic Novel by Anthony Horowitz, Antony Johnston, Kanako Damerum & Yuzuru Takasaki

Apparently, Alex Rider is popular. I found out when I googled him. He’s what James Bond would be like as a teenager. His movie was a blockbuster and his books were bestsellers. Now he has a graphic novel based on the first book.

Oh.

My glaring ignorance is not due to me having lived in an island all my life. I simply am not in the right demographics. I may have seen movie trailers but I don’t remember if I did. My movie and reading tastes do not run to spy thrillers starring 14-year olds. If the 14-year old has paranormal powers or has become involved in a supernatural situation then I would probably find out about him even if there is no blockbuster movie or bestselling books.

(Readers of the same opinion should try Dan Simmon’s Summer of Night. It gave me sleepless nights.)

I picked up this graphic novel at the Powerbooks’ Powerbarter last October 27, thinking it would make a kid happy if I donate it to a children’s library. I’m writing about it now because I read it, wanting a few idle minutes looking at pictures. I also thought I’d add by one my quantity challenge for the year.

I liked the artwork, which looked like it was a fusion of manga and Western art.  Alex Rider has an innocent face normally and mischievous smile as he outwits or saves someone. He’s got all these martial skills from all the adventure trips with his uncle–who was a spy. When the uncle was killed by another spy, Alex was recruited–blackmailed, rather–to take his place.

Funny that there is no way I will take the idea of a kid acting for the government amongst cut-throat killers seriously when I have to remind myself, “fantasy, fantasy only,” when reading my SF or paranormal mysteries. I suppose it’s because I am an eldest in a brood of eight and there was no way in hell would I have allowed my siblings when they were that age to even go biking outside the neighborhood. No head of a spy agency can make my kid brother go head-to-head with bad guys and get away with it!

Already, I am rewriting Stormbreaker in my mind, with  Jack, Alex’s nanny as the heroine protecting her ward from danger and Gregorovich,  a Russian spy, as her bad but very hot adversary. I will also remake scenes of killing so that Alex will offer a more realistic reaction than just “Ew.”

Libreria is The Filipino Book Bloggers’ headquarters!

 

My book haul from Libreria: The Ring by Jorge Molist P100; The Bitterbynde Books 2 & 3 by Cecilia Dart-Thornton - The Lady of the Sorrows P320 & The Battle of Evernight P320; and The Buried Circle by Jenni Mills P380. Kenneth gave copies of the Philippine Genre Stories’s 2009 Christmas issue. Thanks Kenneth! I can’t wait to hang out at Libreria again!

The Filipino Book Bloggers met again last Saturday for books, nice company and conversation, and lovely coffee! Libreria at Cubao Expo was the best venue for book geeks. The place had charm and coffee galore! The book selection was fabulous, and Triccie the owner was the most gracious ever. Even if you’re not really into books, drop by and relax on the couch with a cup of coffee for a relaxing late afternoon or evening. Just destress, you know.

Libreria is located at Cubao Expo, a collection of shops on Gen. Romulo St, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. Look for it behind the Old Rustan’s building (beside Ali Mall), which is behind Shopwise in front of the entrance of the Araneta Coliseum. The entrance gate leading to Cubao Expo is closed to traffic starting 10pm. Refer to map for directions.

I quite enjoyed myself , and was very sorry I was late and missed much of the conversation. I’ll just share a short recap of the topics covered by the group. I have shamelessly referred to the recap of the other bloggers just so I can post something.

• How blogging affects real life, and vice versa
• Blogs we liked; blogging idol
• Addiction to monitoring blog statistics
• Negative reviews
• Personal review policies
• Plagiarism
• Dilemma of reviewing books written by people we know

Apparently, there was an outcry in Twiter by authors who get tagged in

A treasure Chest. There were not that many elements in Libreria yet all combined to create a cozy ambiance. The place was not cluttered. Triccie, the owner, knew how many books are enough to place in the shelves, replenishing the shelves in a controlled pace that would get customers to come back again and again. I for one shall return.

negative reviews. ‘It is hurtful and there is no need to tag them’ was the sentiment. Most of the other bloggers agreed with this, saying the authors can always do a google search of negative reviews if they feel like it. The authors have a point, I know. But is it not a given that not all readers will like their books? When I write about a book, I basically just say whether I liked it or not. I don’t want to be accused of bad manners by an author for writing honestly in my blog.

Tina of One More Page recently had a brush with this issue, she told me later.

I like the solution of Tarie of Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind. She uses different ways to feature books: through reviews, memes, or author interviews. That way if she doesn’t like a book but does not want to post a negative review she can still choose to present the book in a positive light.

Another hot issue was plagiarism. Our own supreme court was guilty of this, whether intentionally or not is yet to be confirmed — click links here and here for the story. Kenneth said he felt strongly about plagiarism, and shared with the group another recent example where a cooking magazine editor used without permission an article written by a food writer. When asked for compensation by the writer, the editor allegedly said that the web is public domain and the writer should thank the magazine for editing her work!

Kenneth will host the next Filipino Friday discussion, which will be about plagiarism.

I’d like to commend Chachic for being such a fantastic moderator. She kept the conversation going and effortlessly stepped in with observations and questions when there was danger of dead air. To the other bloggers – Will, Aaron, Jason, Peter, and Rhett - great to see you! Honey, we should continue reading that Choose-your-own-romance-adventure. Blooey, terrific ghost story you shared–made me want to do another gothic tour.

Photos from Chachic’s Book Nook

harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone by jk rowlings

Overall, a charming debut about a boy wizard. But I’m glad it’s out of the way so I can move on the progressively darker sequels. And see more of  sulky Snape and gay Hagrid .

Do I have to summarize the story of Harry Potter? Doesn’t everyone know about his story by now? The Boy who Survived and You-Know-Who hunting him. I’ve seen the movies, liked them increasingly by each sequel, and stopped short of being a fan. The movies were brilliant and I liked seeing the characters and actors mature, and the plot thicken, moving from the babyish fantasy of Sorcerer’s Stone to the chilling rebirth of Voldemort. I found the absolute loyalty of the evil sorcerer’s minions sick and depraved, bordering on the sexual (has anyone else noticed this?). And that stopped me yawning because seeing that in a children’s series was funny. Published in 1997, I’m only now reading the Sorcerer’s Stone, and only because I felt I had to, acquiring the book in a book swap three years ago, having promised the previous owner I’ll get back to her about my impressions of the book, and caving in from the pressure of being maybe the only one in my circle or reader-friends not to have read the book. So I added it to my TBR challenge.

And regretted it for a week, which was how long before I managed to get past page 100, finding the account of Harry’s early years, about how incredibly boring Muggles were, incredibly boring. Come to think about it, I also never did manage to finish watching the first movie, no matter how many times I’ve caught it running on cable. This was good as it turned out as I was surprised by the revelation of whodunit later in the book.

I’ve read fantasy fiction by other British authors before, such as Margaret Storey (A War of Wizards), Edith Nesbit (Psammead Series), and Tanith Lee (Unicorn series) . Their stories were extraordinary and I loved them. Until now I have a crush on Hilarion, the wizard who can’t stand to be seen. My favorite of their ilk will be forevermore Dianna Wynne Jones, who penned Howl’s Moving Castle and creator of unforgettable characters like Sophie Farthing, Wizard Howl, and the fire demon Calcifer. Having partaken of their literary feasts since high school I was not that excited over the news of a new Fantasy author and her debut work about a boy wizard.

My reading taste lately has also shifted from pure fantasy to urban fantasy, and not just because of the kick-ass heroines, but also because I prefer if the story treats magic as part of the world, not separate but one and the same, with people just experiencing different things. One reason I got bored with the first part of Sorcerer’s Stone was the strong sense of insularity it conveyed of the magic world from Muggle world.

Nevertheless, I did get past the first 100 pages and was engaged finally as Harry learned about potions, spells, and the soccer-like game Quidditch. The mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone was interesting. I liked how the author dropped hints here and there as well, not just about the current mystery but also about the overarching mystery of Voldemort and Harry’s role in his downfall. I can imagine how like a game it is for readers spotting references and clues, connecting the dots from book 1 to book 3 or somewhere else. That was very clever of the author.

Her imaginative details were also impressive. She invented Platform 9 ¾,  Every Flavor Beans, messenger owls, and the magic puzzle game in the Sorcerer’s Stone Chamber, hearth-hatching of a dragon egg and  Quidditch. I liked how she used elements of the British school system to define Hogwarts School. The rivalry and other relationship dynamics between students and eccentric faculty were well thought out. Even if I had not seen the movies, I can easily visualize Harry, Ron, Hermione, and all the others. The writing was fluid, easily keeping pace with human and magical nuances. Spooky also had a special place; if I were 11 years old I imagined I would be terrified out of my wits upon realizing what lay under the turban.

Overall, a charming debut about a boy wizard. But I’m glad it’s out of the way so I can move on the progressively darker sequels. And see more of  sulky Snape and gay Hagrid .

queen of shadows by dianne sylvan

Leather does not a kick-ass heroine make.

With the avalanche of urban fantasies these days, it’s difficult to be precise in  one’s book selection. The story blurb on the back cover can be so deceiving, pushing all the right buttons, hitting all the right kiliti nerves. I don’t know how others do it, but I oftentimes let my self be just carried away and regret later the hole in my wallet from a wasted purchase.

I’m afraid I have to list Queen of Shadows under misses. The excess of clichés and bland characters did nothing for a formulaic story, in which vampires are real, very much a part of society, they hate us, they love us, they kill us, they save us. There was no major effort to make this story stand out from the pack.

The story was sufficiently intriguing, of a musician with the power to manipulate her audience’s emotions, in a city secretly ruled by an army of vampires, where head vampire falls in love with a fragile human after he finds her brutalized by thugs. He mentors her on shielding and helps her to heal, while fighting against his attraction to her. She was also attracted right away alright but then she struck me as someone easily pushed willy-nilly anyway.

It wasn’t that bad, I guess. The fact that this is a published book tells us that the author has risen from the ranks of wannabes to actually making a name. I can respect that, but I also have to be honest that I am in a comparing mood right now, and I find this book unremarkable compared with the likes of the Kate Daniels and Greywalker series. Queen of Shadows received the brunt of my disappointment over finding ok instead of great. That my introduction to the female protagonist was when she was busy whining and absorbed in self-pity did not help any in creating a good first impression. It was down the drain after the first chapter, actually.

Kiliti – Tagalog slang word meaning, roughly, something causing excitement, often used in connection with romance situations

john constantine hellblazer: all his engines by mike carey & leonardo manco

When a mysterious worldwide plague starts putting millions of people into deadly comas, Earth’s foremost expert on the bizarre, John Constantine, steps in with the “cure.” After traveling from the dreary alleys of London to the glittering boulevards of L.A., Constantine realizes that a cadre of wicked demons and hellish monsters is behind the outbreak, and he’ll have to sacrifice more than himself to put an end to the nightmare.

But will the cure be worse than the disease? Thus am I reintroduced to John Constantine, trench coat-clad antihero, magic junkie, and master manipulator. I first saw him in the film version starring Keanu Reeves. I rather enjoyed the movie never mind the critical lambasting. I guess, as usual, a movie failed to live up to the graphic novels. I had never seen the books so I only had my own enjoyment of other movies as basis for comparison.

I acquired the All His Engines through Bookmooch, a site where you can trade books like a book barter using points sending to other members as currency. Thinking it was an urban fantasy novel I mooched it, very surprised at receiving a glossy hardbound of a sallow, poisonous world in graphic details, a world where Constantine pits demon against demon.

I may understand a little now why the movie received such flak. Hollywood requires more than a few redeeming qualities in its heroes. The movie character was too noble when the graphic novel character was a conman, thief, and hero-as-a-side-effect more than anything else. From the background essays at the back of the book, I learned that Constantine is addicted to magic and would do anything to be able to practice it, even sell his soul and endanger his friends.

With over 200 volumes under his belt, Constantine has gone through changes. I saw from the information at the back that five writers have taken turns telling his story. This particular volume is a standalone, while the 14 other titles I saw were collections of comics issues. His long-time friend Chance is a grandfather here, which makes Constantine pushing, what?, 60? But still at the game of high-stakes poker with Hell, where if he loses Hell-on-Earth will enjoy enough souls to finance franchises worldwide, starting in Hollywood.

Whatever his motivations were, Constantine did succeed to save the world again and again. If a few innocents were sacrificed, maybe that’s just collateral damage. Because the world I got a glimpse of through this volume would certainly lose more than a few souls if there was no self-serving antihero using his smarts for a magic fix from Hell’s denizens. Am I sympathizing with him? Maybe, but not enough to want to be his friend; I’ll welcome chances to read his previous con-jobs with the Devil though.

Captions:
Face off. The demon Beroul wants to set up a Hell franchise on Earth. His best work on display here. Remind me never to have a facial.
Constantine always smoking. Lung cancer didn’t faze him.    Caught between two demons. A deal is brokered.

private demon by lynn viehl

Private Demon ties up neatly with If Angels Burn, the more-than, not-quite paranormal romance I discovered in the used book-bins of Booksale. I discovered this title first actually and couldn’t get into the book right away, probably because it was the second in a series. Continuity is very strong in this series, no matter who the central couple is currently. I recommend that this series be read in order to truly appreciate the excellent world-building, plot twists, and multidimensional characters. Dr. Alex and Michael along with other characters introduced in the first book are important to the overall plot, Alex specially as she may hold the cure to the Darkyn’s curse. Characters take turns enjoying the spotlight, but continue to develop their relationships in succeeding volumes. John Keller, a troubled priest and Alex’s brother, enjoys quite a lot of attention. I don’t understand why the author is building him up to this degree but maybe the reason will be revealed in future volumes.

Jaus could have used the services of Hitch.

Even if a reader finds the current focus not very likable it still pays to complete the series to follow the story of favorite characters. I was rather disappointed myself with how the romance in this volume turned out. I preferred Jaus over Thierry, and this isn’t a spoiler because blurb on the back cover makes it clear who gets whom. Before I go on further into the romance, here is a bit of a backgrounder on the Darkyn-Brethren mythos.

The Darkyn believes they were cursed 600 years ago. They died but they rose from their graves hungering for blood. Several tumultuous centuries followed where they sought to control their urges. Maybe their enemy, the Brethren, a secret organization of vampire-hating humans had just cause for their vendetta in the beginning. Now, they use their powerful Church, business, and government connections to abduct and torture Darkyn.

Thierry Durand and his family were the latest victims. In the previous volume he believed his wife tortured to death, driving him mad. In this volume, he seeks justice for a rape victim. His investigation leads him to the Brethren, and to the dying Jema Shaw. Jema works for a museum and part time as a forensic science expert for the coroner’s office. Her juvenile diabetes is taking its toll on her body and she may not live to see her 30^th birthday. In love with her is Valentin Jaus, head vampire of Chicago. He has watched over her since she was a baby, since he found her lost and crying in his backyard. One of the Darkyn’s most powerful lord, he is strangely powerless when it comes to Jema.

Thierry also falls in love with Jema, as he enters her dreams to find out what she knows about the Brethren. By sharing dreams with one another the two somehow heal one another of past hurts and become very close psychically. To Jema, Thierry is a dream lover but after several dreams she suspects he is more than that.

Each of the Darkyn has a special ability, by the way. Michael can make one forget; Alex when she turned can sense the thoughts of killers; and Thierry can enter dreams.

I’ve already said I really liked this series overall. But I’ve got pet peeves, some of which I mentioned in my review of If Angels Burn. Here is another: for such powerful creatures the Darkyn are too easily abducted and infiltrated. Nevermind betrayals, it still should not be this easy. Surely, they would not have been able to establish strong power bases in many cities in Europe and America if smarts were not part of their package? Yet, again and again the Brethren outsmart them, people who don’t strike me as that smart to begin with.

To end on a positive note, I hear that Lucas and a cop are starring in the third volume. How interesting. Lucas is the Darkyn’s cold-blooded assassin. I wonder how hard he will fall when he falls in love. Dark Need, please don’t be hard to get.